- Date
- April 16, 1992, 18:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Elgin, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2901EAeronca 7DC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920416010359A
- Case key
- 8587
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improperly installed spark plug by an unknown person. The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While in cruise flight the engine lost power. The pilot was unable to maintain altitude and landed in a field. Examination of the engine revealed that the top spark plug in the number 2 cylinder had separated from the cylinder. It remained attached to the distributor wire.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2901E
- Reported as
- Aeronca 7DC
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7AC-6484
- Airframe hours
- 5,093
- Engine
- Continental C85F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Motsinger, Xen K.
- Registered owner
- Motsinger, Xen K.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 1, 1991 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- CUB · Columbia, SC
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,400 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,375 as pilot in command · 77 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CAE, 5 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.